Jordan Willis admits a few Bengals veterans made life hard on him as a rookie

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Jordan Willis is on his way to a possible starting job in 2018.

It wasn’t an easy path, though.

Bengals coaches have already admitted they should have had Willis on the field more as a rookie last year. What we didn’t know was the Kansas State product’s abrasive relationship with a few Bengals players upon his arrival.

Willis admits his personality and the competitive nature of camp made his transition to the pros a difficult one, per Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer:

“There was a couple guys who ended up not being on the team who were making it hard on me when I first came in,” Willis said. “I’m a quiet guy. Sometimes that is misinterpreted by people. Because I don’t talk a lot and a lot of people get offended by that or don’t understand it, so to speak.

…It’s been better by just hanging around the guys. And most of the guys that made it hard on me, they were cut. So that made it better. Through time things change just like it is now.”

It’s quite the revealing quote from Willis, who has put on some weight and looks ready to take over the starting gig while Michael Johnson assumes his role as a rusher from the interior.

This time last year, Willis arrived with the Bengals and had to spar with guys like Will Clarke, Wallace Gilberry, Chris Smith and Marcus Hardison for snaps. The competitive nature of the NFL doesn’t always mean camaraderie is high among positional groups with jobs on the line.

An understandable situation, really. Bengals coaches clearly like what they see from Willis and he’s clearly working hard on and off the field to make the right impressions.

Ahead of the curve now, Willis also says he’ll make sure he doesn’t dish out the same treatment he received: “I’m not going to be that kind of guy. I just don’t believe in it.”